Judy Eisenberg: Pruning in late winter and sizing up spring bulbs

Tuesday

Feb 24, 2009 at 12:01 AMFeb 24, 2009 at 1:16 AM

Late winter’s dormant (resting) season at the end of February/beginning of March is an ideal time to prune many shrubs and trees. Because limbs and branches are still leaf free, you have the advantage of viewing the form and structure of the shrub or tree and can reshape it more easily.

Judy Eisenberg

Q: Can I prune shrubs and trees during late winter?

A: Late winter’s dormant (resting) season at the end of February/beginning of March is an ideal time to prune many shrubs and trees. Because limbs and branches are still leaf free, you have the advantage of viewing the form and structure of the shrub or tree and can reshape it more easily. Prune for shape, structure and thinning of crowded branches of deciduous trees, fruit trees and shrubs. It’s also a good time to remove dead and broken limbs, especially limbs that could cause a liability by falling on someone else’s property or house.

Prune the fruiting plants; grapevines, gooseberries, raspberries, blueberries and currants. Prune holly, barberry, and butterfly bush. Summer-flowering trees such as camellia and crape myrtles that set buds on new growth in spring can be pruned in late February. Spring-flowering shrubs such as lilac, forsythia, and wisteria that set buds the previous fall should be pruned in early summer after they have bloomed.

Note: If you have never pruned trees or shrubs before, or have very little experience pruning, contact a professional to show you the best pruning practices to use or to do your pruning for you.

Q. When I bought my house, there were many crocuses blooming in my garden. Since then, even more crocuses bloom every spring. The tulips I planted bloomed the first year but only produced foliage and two small blooms the next year. Why do some bulbs bloom every year while others are short-lived?

A. Although tulips are considered perennials, many gardeners, including myself, find that some tulip bulbs are short-lived, often flowering for only a couple of years. Bulbs that are "breeded-in" for new color, size and larger flowers tend to do this. Breeders have pretty much left Botanical or Species tulips, which are smaller than hybrid varieties, alone. Darwin hybrids, Emperor Tulips and Kaufmanniana tulips come up year after year.

Some other species bulbs that come back year after year and can multiply are crocuses, grape hyacinths, snowdrops, and squill (Scilla). Other bulbs like Daffodils, will multiply and form dense clumps if you dig them up and divide the bulbs after they flower. Replant these bulbs right away or store until fall.

To ensure that your bulbs stay healthy and long lasting, plant them in a sunny location where the soil is well-drained. If the soil gets too wet, the bulbs will rot. If you need to increase drainage, add compost, peat moss or coir to the soil.

Contact Wicked Local Somerville columnist Judy Eisenberg at SunandShadeGardening@comcast.net. Eisenberg has been gardening and consulting professionally with a personal touch for more than 10 years.